CONNECTIONS CONNECTIONS magazinefor forstudents studentsand andparents parentsininMaple the Maple Pitt Meadows School District AAmagazine RidgeRidge - Pitt-Meadows
SUMMER 2014
COMMUNITY
CONNECTIONS IN SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 42 Tzu Chi Foundation, Aboriginal Education, Make BC Smile, Eric Langton Elementary and more! Read about some of the great community connections in Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School District No.42.
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CONNECTIONS CONNECTIONS magazinefor forstudents studentsand andparents parentsininMaple the Maple Pitt Meadows School District AAmagazine RidgeRidge - Pitt -Meadows
inside: Issue 10 Summer 2014 04 Make BC Smile 08 Community Connections at Eric Langton 09 Tzu Chi Foundation 11
Board of Education: Beyond the Board
12
SD42 Facilities Review
13
Aboriginal Education in SD42
Editor Irena Pochop Layout/Design Lotte Ewald, Irena Pochop Contributors Ron Lanzarotta, Mike Murray, Miranda Tymoschuk On the Cover Elliott Lyons in the Eric Langton production of HONK! SD42 Connections is published by School District No. 42 (Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows), in partnership with Maple Ridge Times newspaper. Approximately 10,000 copies are distributed through all SD42 schools and several community locations. SD42 is grateful to all the advertising sponsors and supporters who have made this issue possible. Proceeds from advertising have paid for the production and distribution of this issue. Publishing partner Maple Ridge Times Issue 10 - Summer 2014 22225 Brown Avenue Maple Ridge, BC V2X 8N6 www.sd42.ca 604.463.4200
A sea of pink at Laity View Elementary on Pink Shirt Day. Messages of love, support and community circulated through every school in the district. Visit us on Facebook for more photos from this day.
www.facebook.com/MapleRidgePittMeadowsSchoolSD42 Twitter: @sd42news
editor’s note: Welcome to the Summer 2014 issue of SD42 Connections magazine. Our school district is well known for its innovative programs and initiatives. We have talented and passionate educators in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows who strive to personalize learning so that all students are engaged in and excited about their work. What also makes our district special, however, are our strong community connections. This issue highlights just a few. From the Intergenerational Garden and the HIVE at Eric Langton Elementary, to the generous contributions of the Tzu Chi Foundation and the work of our Board of Education, our community connections are a vital part of our district. Running through the school district at all levels, these connections support our work and help us realize our vision to make every individual feel valued and to help all learners reach their full potential. Take a moment to read about some of our great community connections in this issue, and then come and see us on Facebook to get connected, learn more about our community, and celebrate with us the many successes of our students, teachers, and staff. 3 Connections - Summer 2014 | Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School District
SD42 Students Make BC Smile Last summer, my leadership teacher Mrs. Blakeway suggested I stand along the highway holding a sign that says something like “Have a Nice Day”. I wasn’t really sure what to think; it seemed like a crazy idea but it made me smile. I wondered if anyone driving by would even notice the message. I never got around to it that summer, but the idea stuck. Then, in the fall, Mrs. Blakeway showed our class a YouTube video called “Honk if You Love Someone,” which was the inspiration for her sign-holding idea. Massoud Adibpour, an optimistic man in Washington DC, began holding signs with his friends on Monday mornings. The signs would say “Don’t be so Hard on Yourself,” “Today is Awesome,” “Honk if you Love Someone,” and “Smile!” Massoud’s goal was simply to brighten people’s days. Our Thomas Haney Leadership class was inspired by everything Mrs. Blakeway said about this project,
and by the project’s success. We made signs and brought them out to Lougheed Highway. As we stood by the highway, the morning commuters slowed down to read our messages, thinking at first we may have been protesting against something. Surprised to read the positive statements, the drivers began either honking or waving at us as they passed. Some were even brought to tears in the line-up at the nearby Starbucks. This simple act helped us connect with our community in an amazing way. People don’t often acknowledge each other as they pass by on the sidewalk,
never mind as they fly by on a highway. We couldn’t help but smile, laugh, and yell “good morning”.
“
This simple act helped us connect with our community in an amazing way.
We stayed outside longer than we had planned because of how awesome it was. Later, we found out that the school had received calls from community members who wanted to thank us, and that local media shared what we had done.
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Photo: Thomas Haney students Miranda Tymoschuk (left) and Jenna Crews (right) make BC smile.
Caroline Lee, a grade 12 Thomas Haney student, decided to contact Massoud, share with him what our leadership class had done, and tell him about the impact it had on our community. She even planned for us to Skype with him during our upcoming class. My friend Jenna Crews and I were planning for the District Student Advisory Council (DSAC) annual conference, and decided that we would have students sign-holding across the city. We looked forward to sharing our plans with Massoud. It was exciting to talk to the man behind such a neat idea. As the other students in our class listened to him talk about Make DC Smile, I mentioned to Jenna how cool it would be for Massoud to be the keynote at our conference. After quickly looking up flights, Jenna discovered our group could afford to fly him out here. So we went ahead and set up a meeting with the superintendent to discuss our ideas.
After our class, we filled Mrs. Blakeway in on our plans. Jenna and I also decided to start Make BC Smile, using random acts of kindness ideas from Make DC Smile and creating our own. We put together the website www. makeBCsmile.com as a way of sharing what we were doing and what others across British Columbia were doing. We want to recognize the simple things in life that are really quite extraordinary. The goal of Make BC Smile is to celebrate the acts of kindness that can make a person’s day or change a person’s life. Even in the darkest of times, we can find hope. Smiles can be powerful. This is the message that we want to share with the province. DSAC has organized an amazing conference that will take place on Friday, May 30th. In the morning, participants will hold signs decorated with positive messages throughout the community, and in the afternoon they will participate in workshops.
Massoud will be here to speak to the students and take part in various other random acts of kindness activities throughout the week. We’re calling it Make BC Smile Week and encourage others to get involved in any way they can. We love hearing about what students are doing and how people are making BC smile.
“
Even in the darkest of times, we can find hope. Smiles can be powerful. This is the message that we want to share with the province.
You can find more information about Make BC Smile Week on our website, and learn how you can help promote positivity and kindness. By Miranda Tymoschuk
5 Connections - Summer 2014 | Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School District
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7 Connections - Summer 2014 | Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School District
Community Connections at Eric Langton In the heart of Maple Ridge lies a hidden gem of a school called Eric Langton. The school is well known not only for its outstanding French Immersion program, but also for its rich community connections.
“
Eric Langton’s corridors are always buzzing with activity, in no small part because the school houses the appropriately named “HIVE.”
It’s interesting because the school has become kind of a hub.
Numerous year-long programs run out of the HIVE space, including Strong Start, the Active Kids Club, and the Healthy Babies Program.
Ken Streiling, Principal
“The school has become kind of a hub,” says school principal, Ken Streiling. “It’s getting to be more of a meeting place, and certainly makes the community a big part of the school.” A total of thirteen community groups were originally with the HIVE when this space opened, Streiling explains, offering both the students and the surrounding community free access to invaluable workshops and programs. Although programs such as Strong Start and Healthy Babies support pre-school children, they have had a significant impact on the school community. “I’ve heard comments from our Kindergarten teachers, saying that kids are more ready for Kindergarten now that we’ve had these programs in the school for a while,” Streiling says. But the HIVE is not the only space that ties this school to its community or the community to its school. Just around the corner is a beautiful green space called the Intergenerational Garden. This seasonal community garden, established by the school two years ago, is the product of a partnership between Parks & Recreation, the Ridge Meadows Seniors Society, and the Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School Board.
Photo: Eric Langton students shine in their polished production of HONK!
Classes from the school come to the garden two to three times a week to cultivate their crops. Waiting for them there are volunteers from the local senior centre who spend time educating these students on how to plant and grow their vegetables. Students use the vegetables they grow in the garden to make soup for the rest of the student body. “Well, with supplements,” Streiling clarifies, smiling. These home-grown soups are only a small part of a robust breakfast and lunch program at the school. Eric Langton serves both breakfast and lunch to approximately 50 children, five days a week. Support for these programs comes from all kinds of places, including the Breakfast Clubs of Canada, the local Starbucks and the school’s PAC (Parent Advisory Council).
And then there’s the staff. Streiling tells me the staff does “an awful lot,” and invites me to the school’s production of HONK! to see for myself. And it’s truly stunning. The costumes, the sets, the performances and every other detail of the show speak to the hours of labour and love poured generously into this year-long project by parents, students and staff. Close to 50 volunteers worked with students on this production, which is of a caliber one would not expect of a school production. “Well, that’s just a part of the culture of the school,” principal Streiling says, shrugging proudly.
8 Connections - Summer 2014 | Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School Distirct
Tzu Chi Foundation Tzu Chi District Committee member Glenda Mcmurray answers a few questions about the ways in which this important foundation supports students in the Maple Ridge - PItt Meadows School District. Hi Glenda. Who, along with you, sits on the district Tzu Chi committee, and what do the members of this committee do?
You’ve sat on the district Tzu Chi committee for the past four years. Can you tell us a little bit about this foundation?
Our committee consists of five members: Dr. Dave Rempel (school trustee), Flavia Coughlan (secretary treasurer), Jennifer Hendricks (director of finance), and Donna Servant (vice principal of Golden Ears Elementary). At the district level, our committee meets during the year to review bursary applications for disbursement. We also meet to coordinate the Tzu Chi Celebration, which is an annual event for staff, students, parents, and Tzu Chi members.
Happy to! The Tzu Chi Foundation is a very supportive organization that has provided funding for our student bursaries. Their contribution this year alone was $17,000! This money, which is given annually, goes towards a variety of student activities, camps and hobbies and is generated through donations to the Tzu Chi Foundation. The Foundation members work tirelessly in their fundraising efforts and our district has benefitted from their generosity for over 10 years!
What difference have these donations made for our students? Sitting on the committee has given me a chance to see firsthand the students who have been supported in our district. Students who may be marginalized for a variety of reasons are given an opportunity to participate in activities or programs they probably wouldn’t otherwise be able to access. I see many younger students choosing dance, music lessons, Girl Guides, Scouts, Beavers, soccer or ball hockey. The older students often use the money for activities that will benefit their careers and give them skills such as Food Safe, first aid and forklift training. Tzu Chi also supports many students who want to go to summer camp and
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9 Connections - Summer 2014 | Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School District
participate in Parks and Leisure programming. I can sum up the difference that Tzu Chi Foundation has made with a memory of a past Celebration at Connex. The celebration was well underway and nearly over when a Connex student arrived straight from work. He stood up at the front to address the crowd in his work clothes, and explained that he had a job because the foundation’s support had given him the chance to get some much needed training. Without it, it wouldn’t have been possible, and without the job, he would have been making some bad choices. What he said standing in front of everyone that evening was very powerful and it came as a result of the Tzu Chi Foundation.
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Board of Education: Beyond the Board Some people ask Trustees to clarify their role‌.especially in an election year! In a sentence, it is literally to hold the local public education system in trust. That includes looking, learning, listening, advocating and governing. Looking, learning and listening are especially critical. Without understanding the needs of our students and their families, wes cannot possibly advocate effectively on their behalf or govern appropriately. As the trustees for the Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School District, we spend time in schools but also work closely with partners who have a great deal of knowledge to offer. Our organizational partners include the District Parents Advisory Council (representing all PAC groups), the District Student Advisory Council, employee groups like CUPE, MRTA and the Principals and Vice Principals Association, as well as the District’s Senior Management Team. All of these folks are important because they, along with the general public, share their perspectives with us before we make any critical decisions. We have just established a round table with all these partners so we can meet regularly and share perspectives. Beyond our organizational partners are those in the community. Trustee representatives attend regular meetings of the Parks and Leisure Services Commission, Social Planning Advisory Commission, the Municipal Advisory Committee on Continued on next page...
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12:00-4:00 PM, June 1 Harris Road Park, Pitt Meadows For event information contact Jackie Senchyna at 604-467-7489 or jsenchyna@mapleridge.ca
Photo: (top row, left to right) Trustee Ken Clarkson, Board Chair Mike Murray, Vice-Chair Eleanor Palis; (bottom row, left to right) trustees Dr. Dave Rempel, Sarah Nelson, Kathy Marshall, Susan Carr. 11 Connections - Summer 2014 | Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School District
Continued from page 11...
Accessibility Issues, the Ridge Meadows Education Foundation and The Salvation Army Community Council. We meet occasionally with MLAs, both City Councils and local First Nations Communities. These meetings are important because they help us understand how our work impacts the community and vice versa. As trustees, we also participate in the BC School Trustees Association and the BC Public Schools Employer Association. These two provincial groups help the Board compare notes with other Boards of Education and allow us to participate in advocacy in a provincial collective.
Quick-Start Band classes for beginners plus Junior Concert Band, Senior Concert Band, & Junior Jazz Band classes
So serving as a trustee on the Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows Board of Education is all about gathering the best possible information from many places so that we can make the best possible decisions and advocate for students. That’s the job. Any of our Board members would be happy to talk more about this with any parent or citizen …just give us a call.
Visit
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Mike Murray, Board Chair
SD42 Facilities Review:
How much do you know about your child’s school? The Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School District facilities review is underway. In the first phase of the review process, we have collected information about all the schools, programs and facilities within our district. In phase two, we will use this information to consult with stakeholders, educators, the community and the two municipalities. How much do you know about your child’s school? Visit our Facilities Review website at http://facilitiesreview.sd42.ca to learn more about your child’s school and to get involved. We look forward to consulting with you soon!
12 Connections - Summer 2014 | Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School Distirct
Aboriginal Education in SD42 In the Aboriginal Education Department, 23 staff work in all schools to support students with Aboriginal ancestry. This year, we are helping 1175 students who have self-identified as having First Nations, Metis, or Inuit heritage. Our department works with teachers and administrators in all schools to provide these students with extra supports. Much of what we do in the Aboriginal Education Department is tied to the goals outlined in our current Education Enhancement Agreement. This agreement was developed and signed by many community partner groups, including Katzie First Nation, Kwantlen First Nation, Golden Ears Metis Society, Fraser River All Nations Aboriginal Society, the Ministry of Education, and School District 42. We recognize and celebrate the successes of our Aboriginal students as a part of our annual Awards night. This event is well attended by students and family members, and also includes drummers from both Katzie and Kwantlen First Nations.
While in past years the Awards Night was held at Thomas Haney Secondary, this year’s event will take place at the grand A.C.T. theater in Maple Ridge. We are looking forward to a great night of food, entertainment and ... lots of student awards! This year, the Aboriginal Education Department also established the Aboriginal Student Leadership Program, as a part of which 20 secondary students spend a day learning about leadership styles and decision making. Our hope is to create a strong leadership network of students from all secondary and elementary schools across the district. Continued on next page...
Photo: 2013 Aboriginal Award Ceremonies
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Continued from page 13...
How else does the Aboriginal Department support students? Family Nights! Our Family Nights are attended by students and family members, and provide all attendees with a great opportunity to develop a sense of community and to have some fun! Finally, Aboriginal Education Department also traditionally participates in National Aboriginal Day events, held at the Saturday Farmers’ Market in Maple Ridge. Last year we hosted a popular painting station for children and adults alike. We will be involved again this year, so be sure to come out to the Haney Farmers’ Market on Saturday June 21st for this amazing community event!
Drummers from both Katzie and Kwantlen First Nations celebrate student success at the Aboriginal Awards Night Ceremonies.
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14 Connections - Summer 2014 | Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School Distirct
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